Thrall slightly smiles at the sarcasm. "This kiddo is fun. I'm eager to see what's he capable of in combat. Surely more than one grave is full of bones of one that underestimated him."
Concerning the crypt, Thrall seems worried. "I'm more the swordy one than the spelly one, but... couldn't we just dispel the bad mojo?"
"That's what im going to try and do, but its strong, we need to find the source and try it there."
"Let's do it, then" Thrall grunts, nodding. He walks to the door and looks for a way to open it.
Casting Daylight on my holy symbol to counter the darkness.
There is unexpected resistance, and Kelden almost lost the spell, but finally it takes hold and a glow emerged. But it is thin and wan; it only illuminates as a Torch does. The Darkness is not dispelled.
He attempted to push open the crypt doors to enter the place...
The doors are solidly shut and do not give under your push. You notice there is a heavy dwarven style lock integral to the doors.
Kyra suddenly sags, and Carilain and Kankai look a little pale.
Fearing some kind of supernatural effect unknown inflicted by the swarm of ghouls, they elect to retreat to the Command camp and consult the physicians there.
Alorah notes the silent blond warrior's gesture, studying what she pantomimes and reasoning it out. "Hmm...Kelden, she has a point, would it be possible to just...maybe do the opposite? Consecrate the area to cancel the effect?" she asks.
Turning to the other woman, unsure of if she was deaf as well as being unable to speak, she makes eye contact, speaking deliberately. "Hi, my name is Alorah. We're very glad to have your help. All of you." she says, allowing her gaze to encompass the rest of the newcomers at the last sentence.
The doors are solidly shut and do not give under your push. You notice there is a heavy dwarven style lock integral to the doors.
"That might be somat yer let me give a go to." Grey interjects, waggling his chin at the offending hardware.
Sliding his blade once more into it's sheath, he draws forth a lumpy, leather bundle, which he proceeds to unwrap, exposing possibly the only other clean items on his person; a set of well-worn, well-cared-for picks, bars & edgeless blades.
The blonde woman inclines her head to Alorah and smiles. Her manner is easygoing and even comforting even in the midst of this darkened, unhallowed setting. She puts a hand over her throat and taps it twice and shakes her head, then taps her ear and holds her thumb up in a positive gesture. Then she holds her hand out to Alorah.
Taedric chuckles at Grey's comment, "I was about to say something similar about getting bitten or hit." He guides Knave forward, the wolf still sniffing for foes, taking up a position near Grey. "Just in case something emerges that objects to you trying to open the door," he explains.
Alorah takes the proferred hand with a stunning smile of her own, grasping it firmly in a warrior's forearm handshake. "Maybe we should stand back a bit since they seem ready to open those doors, and I suppose at some point, I'll need you to write down your name, to know what it is."
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When the blonde woman takes Alorah's hand she lets out a soft breath of air and closes her eyes, and suddenly Alorah has an odd feeling, like she's shifting her attention because she's reading a book.
My name is Sapphiria. We were sent by the Queen to help all of you. Can the priest re-sanctify this place? Use a spell of hallowing to make it less impure?
Alorah's eyes widen, her mouth momentarily falling into a little "o" of surprise as she processes the unique flow of information.
she sends/thinks with a burst of what can only be interpreted as the mental impression of a smile.
Turning to look at her other companions with a physical smile, Alorah reiterates Sapphira’s question. ” Kelden, Sapphira is suggesting a Hallowing spell to counter the Unhallowed effect, would that be possible?” she inquires, indicating Sapphira when she says her name out loud.
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"I was not prepared to consecrate unholy grounds this morning, I was under the belief that we would be concentrating on demonic foes this morning."
He sounded frustrated and shook his head slightly. He looked tired, and not just physically. He glanced back torwards the way the others had left. Kyra would be okay, she had to be, the goddess didnt bring them together, bring him back to life, and have them journey all this way to pull her away from him now. He needed to focus. New heros were here, and he had to make sure they got back to the camp. The Queen wouldnt have sent them if they werent worthy.
"I may be able to dispell it, but I only have one attempt at that today.Its why I want to find the source of the unhallow effect and destroy it. Then i will try to removed the magical remnants of the spell... and I hope that will stop the undead from regenerating, otherwise well, its another long fight tomorrow."
Sapphiria nods to Alorah and gently takes her hand back, then holds it out to Kelden. She wiggles her fingers at him, hand outstretched, waiting for him to take it.
Grey took out his specialized tools and set to work. It seemed impossible, given the size of the tools, for him to be able to trip the lock; but with a total concentration and using one hand inside the keyhole, the lock tripped open, and the doors swung open with the sound of grinding stone.
The deeper darkness seemed to flow out of the doorway, steeping you into complete blindness.
Only Arthas holding Radiance could be seen, and the five feet around him.
None of the animals you have with you like the stink coming out of the mausoleum; it reeks of demon, and recently too.
After a moment, the deeper darkness retreated back into the mausoleum, and you can see again. But it lurks still, just inside the tomb...
Taedric streches himself on Knave's back, standing in the saddle to try to peer into the darkness with his low-light vision.
Thrall closes his eyes for a second, then opens then wide, trying to get used to the low light conditions. He tries to advance on the vanguard line, though it seems quite crowded.
As the human-blooded bruiser edges forward, Grey scoots to the side, enabling his passage.
”You must all have been blessed by the Martyred Dragon himself. You have the same aura about you as the others who have been given the holy scale.”
”Behold how the darkness shines from the light of heaven.”
Arthas wills Radience to glow ever brighter as he moves forward.
”Every battle we fight together determines the fate of this crusade. Stand strong and valiant against what ever comes, pressing ever forward!”
Aura of courage
Aura of Courage +4 (10 ft.) (Su) Allies in aura gain a morale bonus to saves vs. fear.
He paused looking at the beautiful woman for a moment and her outstretched hand. He was dirty, a little sweaty from the sharp fight before, worry was etched onto his face and for the lack of better words he was pretty plain. At least he had always thought so. His hands were very clean either. Despite the pull to haste he took a step away from the door and removed his gauntlet to properly shake the mute maiden's hand while lightly glancing to Alorah.
He partially glanced back towards the others at the entrance before he returned his attention to Sapphiria giving her a polite nod.
Sapphiria slips her hand into Kelden's grasp without hesitation. Her hands are a bit cleaner than his and perhaps a little bit softer, though clearly she's no stranger to handling weapons and has a sure, firm grip.
Suddenly his attention shifts as if a daydream is intruding upon his consciousness and there is a sensation like watching elegant script draw itself across some surface, words forming in his mind to be automatically read.
Hand-in-hand with Kelden she advances into the darkened crypt.
Alora smiles slightly as she watches Kelden's face upon taking Sapphira's hand, knowing first hand the unusual experience that was forthcoming.
As Arthas and Kelden step forward, the Darkness is reluctantly pressed back. You can see more of the tomb now as bones crunch noisily under your feet.
"All the tombs dessecrated..." Thral growls. "They will pay for this."
Taedric says softly, "Jeg fik et glimt af noget. Menneskelig eller tæt på det. Ser ud til at holde øje med os."
"du zalst nisht geyn tsu vayt foroys" Grey murmurs as he keeps pace behind Thrall.
With no fear for his own body and soul Arthas stands fast in his splendid armor reflecting Radiance‘s heavenly nimbus.
”We see you there demon.”
Switching his grip on the sword remade in the form of Ragathiel’s own be begins reciting the Litany of Wings aloud in the chamber.
”Ragathiel, cover us with Your Precious Wings.
Open our eyes to the lies of the Denizens of Hell.
Ragathiel, help me unite your Faithful.
Help me fulfill our sacraments.
Ragathiel, do not let their agents divide and deceive our allies.
Help us to reject lies presented to our eyes and ears as the truth.
Ragathiel, give us Strength.
Give us Hope.
Flood these lost soul with the Spirit of Heaven.
Protect us from the beasts herein.
Ragathiel. give us the gift of discernment so we can follow the path you wish at all times forever and ever. Amen.”
Entering last, the palpable darkness leaves Alora grateful to be standing behind a wall of steel. At Taedric's warning, her eyes immediately comb the shadows.
"De fanger os ikke uforberedte." she replied softly her hands quickly rising up in front of her and rapidly beginning to trace sigils in the air, accompanied by a melodious chant in celestial.
Shimmering silvery sigils swirl around her hands as she claps them together, a pulse of silver light washing over her companions, momentarily forming a perfect circle of hurricane protection for fading to near invisibility.
After the brief mental conversation with Kelden, Sapphiria takes back her hand and draws her falcata. Her eyes flicker back and forth, straining to make out anything in the encroaching dark.
He pulled back from the entrance when the young maiden took his hand a slightly confused look on his face. His eyes widened when he could hear the woman in his mind. At least he assumed that was the voice he heard. Tilting his head he tried thinking his response to the woman to see if that worked.
I believe i can disrupt the magic that is keeping the ground here Unhallowed, but We need to disrupt the site when the evil forces cast their blasphemy, or it would be far too easy for them to return and do it again."
He chanted a small prayer to The Everlight before focusing on Arthas, a soft glow enfused him as Kelden's patron's favour graced him.
"For Mendev! For Kenebras! For the Fallen!"
He called out, they had delayed long enough, whatever was in there wasnt going to come out so he would gladly take the fight to it.
Hearing the Cleric's warcries, Thrall lets his orcish half to take control for a while and he lunges forward, lifting his greatsword and letting it fall where the strange figure is.
As Taedric started speaking in Celestial, you heard an evil chuckle somewhere in the dark.
"MORE CRUSADERS! IT HAS BEEN SO LONG SINCE THERE WERE CRUSADERS ABOUT; THEY ARE SO EASY TO GRIND DOWN TO SLAVES..." It laughed again. "BUT I SHOULD BE GRATEFUL FOR YOU TO COME ALL THIS WAY! WE WILL HAVE SUCH SPORT..." It declaimed.
As it confidently rattled on, the Deeper Darkness rolled forward again.
=DC of will save to avoid Shaken condition (Those of you not immune to fear).
Then, Arthas made his glorious speech; and Radiance, impossibly, grew brighter!
The area around Arthas became too bright to look at, and the Darkness seemed to sizzle as it was slowly pushed back.
Revealed at the back of the desecrated crypt, you see a much less imposing hunched, bat-winged horror. Its glowing eyes and long tongue presenting a frightening visage.
"Radiance!" It snarled, flinching from the light. "It was destroyed..." It started to say, but was interrupted by Thrall.
Thrall's charging attack lashed his greatsword right through the creature's image, popping it out of existence, and hacking halfway through the heavy bronze doors the demon's image had been standing in front of.
Before anyone can move, the demon's true incorporeal form stepped through the doors next to Thrall.
"All these crusaders, they always let the half-orcs lead the charge; dying like flies. You are just one more..." It whispered to Thrall. It seemed to reach into Thrall's mind, trying to shake his confidence.
It then cruelly thrust it's hand into Thrall's huge chest, trying to find and grip his heart.
for a possible Con damage.
Round 1________________________
Players take their turn in order of posting, enemies will go last.
The demon itself is not a common type you recognize.
"ទទួលយកវា, គាត់ប្រភេទនៃការទាំងអស់នៅលើបង្ហាញធំរបស់អ្នក។" Grey sneers as Arthas' declamation takes the wind out of the demonic attempt at threats.
"Yeah, racist crusaders, they're all the same..."
Sapphiria seems unshaken by the demon's pronouncements.
Despite his faith and love in the light for the bleakest of moments the large abomination brought back memories from the minotaur that had killed him. He could feel fill the fear in the pit of his stomach. Still he advanced forward holding his holy symbol aloft.
"By Sarenrae's light be gone creature!"
He called out casting Holy Smite.
Alorah moves forward, calling forth a divine blessing to bolster her companions in battle, as shimmering ribbons of golden light seem to extend from her wor wrap around her allies.
Sapphiria draws back her falchion and raises her shield with the symbol of Sarenrae. She speaks no words (of course) and just makes an odd gesture with her shield, and suddenly it seems as if the scales fall from Thrall's eyes.
Taedric pushes away the mental onslaught and rushes forward, drawing upon the holy power within him as he readies his lance, argent energy crackling from his eyes and down his arms, Wish I had a line to charge, but either way..., striking with his elongated reach.
for